Adbert Alzolay's Rough Outing Proves the Cubs Need to Trade for Starting Pitching Depth

The Chicago Cubs have seen better days, as the club finished the month of June with 14-15 record, leaving the NL Central race wide open. In the midst of their recent slump, the team lost key pitcher Cole Hamels to a left oblique strain that could hold him out for several weeks, and they've also been without pitcher Kyle Hendricks, who's been on the IL since the beginning of June.

With the recent array of injuries to their pitching staff, the Cubs were forced to start rookie Albert Alzolay against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. He struggled immensely against their NL Central foes, giving up seven runs and 10 hits in just 2.2 innings before being pulled.

The absence of both Hamels and Hendricks is really starting to impact the Cubs. Both pitchers were playing outstanding before being sidelined with injuries. Hamels had a 1.22 ERA in June before being placed on the IL and Hendricks was 6-0 with an ERA of 1.99 during a span of eight starts before his shoulder injury.

That isn't easy production to replace, especially with a rookie like Alzolay. While Hendricks is scheduled to be back in the rotation for Tuesday's ball game, it's imperative that the Cubs search for pitching help on the trade block, especially considering how long Hamels could be out for.

If the Cubs truly want to separate from the rest of the pack in the NL Central race, trading for quality depth in their pitching rotation should be priority number one. Yu Darvish and Jose Quintana are two arms that cannot be trusted for a team with World Series aspirations, so adding another hurler to the mix would be a wise move for the club.